Moving-picture machine.



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No. 695,003. Patented Mar. Il, |902.

0. SNELL.

MOVING PICTURE MACHINE.

. (Apl'xlicntion Blad Apr. 2, 1900.) (N0 ldl.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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No. 695,003. Patented Mar. il, |902.

' 0. SNELL.

MOVING PICTURE MACHINE.

(Application led Apr. 2, 1900.)

MTNESSES: /ww 0% /M No. 695,003. Patented Mrar. H, |902.

0. SNELL.

MOVING PICTURE MACHINE.

(Application led Apr. 2, 1900.) (lo Model.)

WITNESSES: INVENTOR:

PATENT OFFICE.

SNELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLNOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ALEXANDER E. KEITH, OF CHCAGO, ILLINOIS.

MOVlNG-PICTURE lviACHiNE.

GATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 695,003, dated March 1l, 1902.

Application filed April 2, 1900. Serial No. 11,139. (No model.)

lchines; and my object is to produce a system of mechanism which is particularly adapted to attain very high results in first taking the original pictures or negatives, then printing the positives or photographic copies Vfrom the negatives, and finally serve as a means vfor intermittently moving the photographic iilm in projecting the pictures upon a screen, as is hereinafter more particularly described, and illustrated in the accompanying' drawings, in which- Figure l is an elevation looking in the direction indicated by arrow l0, Fig. 3, showing the side upon which the operator stands in manipulating the machine. In Fig. l a part of the front plate of the frame and the filmdoor are shown broken away on a substantially vertical section on broken line 2021, Fig. 3, to show the picture-window openings and two ot the slots through which the teeth of the arm for moving the film are operated, as is hereinafter more particularly described. Fig. 2 is an elevation looking in the direction indicated by arrow 22, Fig. 3, showing the side opposite to that shown in Fig. l to illustrate manner of gearing together most of the rotative parts, which latter are plainly shown in Fig. l. 3 is a rear elevation looking in the direction indicated by arrow 23, Fig. l, to illustrate the mechanism for intermittently moving the photographic iilm and the duplex reverse-movement shutter and its position relative to the {ihn-moving mechanism. Figs. -t, 5, and G are vertical sections ot the front plate on line 2O 2l, Fig. I3, with part of the film-moving mechanism in side elevation in several different positions to illustrate manner of operation and relative position of the parts at diiterent points in the revolution of the driving-shaft. Fig. 7 is a picture-nime are stored.

section of one of the film-reels on broken line 2G 27, Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a heart-shaped ligure to illustrate the normal path described by the teeth of the hlm-moving arm in the mechanism shown in Figs. e, 5, and (3, the broken line 2S 29 in Fig. 9 serving to represent the surface of the nlm-door, against which the ph0 tographic film is usually held by springs. Fig. l0 shows, respectively, a side and rear elevation, together with a plan of the iilmmoving arm. Fig. Ill shows, respectively, a plan and a side elevation of a link adapted to movably connect the middle of length portion of the nlm-moving arm shown in Fig. lO with the rear plate of the frame of the inan chine. Fig. l2 is a rear elevation of a portion of the top of the front plate of the inachine, together with the duplex shutter, to illustrate the action of the shutter in cutting off the view of the moving photographs at the picture-window.

Similar numerals designate like parts throughout the several views.

The principal portion 30 ot' the frame is plainly shown in Figs. l and 2, and to the rear of this trame, at a right angle thereto, is secured the minor or rear frame 3l, which is shown in edge view in Figs. l and 2 and is plainly shown in Fig. 3. Mounted in a boss of the frame SO is the driving-shaft 32, which in this instance is to be revolved by means of the hand-crank 33, Fig. l.

At is a cog-wheel at the rear end of shaft 32, and this wheel engages a small pinion 35, Fig. 3, xed to a shaft 3G, which latter is mounted horizontally in lugs in the lower por tion of the rear frame 3l. In this instance the proportion is one to tenin the relative number of teeth in pinion and cog-wheel 34. At one end of shaft 36 is secured a crank 37, and mounted on the crank-pin 3S is the lower end of the film-moving arm 39, and at 4t() is a link which has one end pivotally attached to about the middle of length portion of arm S9, while the other end of the link is pivotally attached to the rear frame Sl. At the upper end portion ot' arm 39 is shown a series of projecting teeth 4l, adapted to engage a series of holes 4:2 at each side of the picture-nlm e3, Fig. 3. Through the front `frame-plate 3l are two vertical slots 44, in

and along which the teeth 41 of the film-moving arm 39 operate, the teeth projecting through and beyond the slots and into similar slots 45 in the film-door 46. (Shown in section in Fig..1.) The film-door 46 is pivotally mounted so as to open, but when closed, as usual, leaves a space between the inner face thereof and the front plate of the frame, and this space is of dimensions adapted to easily admit the free upward or downward passage of the picture-film 43, the latter being held from too free a movement'by the pressure of a contact-spring, whose ends are shown at 47 in Fig. 1 and whose middle of length portion always holds the lm yieldingly against the surface of the film-door 46.

In Figs. 1, 3, and 12 can be seen thepicturewindowv 48 in the plate of the rearframe 31, and at 48 in Fig. 1 is the picture-window in the film-door 46.

At 49, Fig. 2, but not shown in Fig. 1, is mounted a'shaft through the front frame 30, one end of this shaft having a chain-wheel 50 secured thereto and which latter is geared by chain 52 to chain-wheel 51, the latter having same number of teeth as chain-wheel 50 and mounted on shaft 36. At theinner end of shaft 49 is secured a miter cog-wheel 53, Fig. 1. Mounted through a boss in front frame 31 is a hollow shaft 54, and through this shaft yis mounted another shaft y55, the

inner end of the latter being additionally supported by being mounted in a lug on the front frame 30. Secured to the inner end of hollow shaft 54 is a miter cog-wheel 56, which is engaged by miter cog-wheel 53,'and on shaft 55, which is mounted through hollow shaft 54, is secured a miter cog-wheel 57which is also engaged bymiter-cog-wheel 53, so'that by the revolution of chain-wheel shaft 49 in either direction shafts 54 and 55revolve in opposite directions. At the outer end of hollow shaft 54 is secured a shutter 58and at the outer end of shaft 55 is secured shutter 59. Each of these shutters have length radially from the shafts suiicient to fully cover the picturewindow 48,'Figs-3v and 12,and at the side edges are notches, as at 60, 61, 62, and 63, so-'that no line of this marginal edge is parallel'with the marginal lines of the picture-window.

As illustrated in Fig. 12, it is intended .that in the revolution of each shutter the light in thepicture-window willl be cut ed, beginning at the corners of the'window andending in the center thereof, andv it is obvious that the light from the window vwould be again admitted during the passage of theshutters in the reverse order, the light being first admitted yat the center of the w.indow,the space per-- 6o mitting the light to pass being gradually enlarged outwardly from the center toward the corners ofthe window.

It is rintended to make the portion of the shutters which cover the windows of mica or some other semitransparent heat-resisting material, so that notall but only a part of the light is cut off in order to avoid the discrank-pin when the top of the arm is held in against the surface of the rear frame and also in broken lines the inner half-way position of the arm when the top thereof is held away from the surface of the rear frame.

In Figs. 5 and 6 are shown,.respectively, Y

the extreme upward and extreme downward position of the crank-pin and arm when the upper end of the arm is held in contact with the surface of the rear frame-plate. By securing a point to some part of the upper end of the arm and holding this point in contact with asoft plane surface the figure shown in broken line at 64, Fig. 6, or in a solid line in Fig. 9 will be described. It is seen Ythat the right-hand solid line in Fig. 9, between the corner curves 65 and' 66, is almost straight, but that this portion of the line joinsthe other or almost horizontal parts of the figureat they top and bottom by curves 65 and 66 of very small radius. v

Should the film-moving arm be so designed that it is practically unyieldin g from the crank-pin to the top end and the link and' its attachments are also unyielding, and should such an arm be made to operate without contacting some surface of, say, like the rear frame-plate, as shown, and free to describe the curved figure shown in Fig. 9, it would not be adapted to the purpose of operating the teeth to engage-the holes in the margin of the picture-hlm, for lthe reason that at the instant the teeth engage or disengage at the termination of the stroke instead of moving straight into or out of the holes in the film the teeth would move in the short radius curves 65 and 66, and thus saw the margin of the holes and quickly ruin the film for the purpose intended,

By providing some means whereby the filmmoving arm or its connections are not rigid butelastic, so that vthe upper end portion thereof may contact some surface just before the short curves begin,vthen the arm will move the teeth practically square into and out of engagement with lthe holes in the film, and whenthev short curves, begin the ,teeth are stopped, and instead of moving in-the curves move downwardly or upwardly in the action of moving the iilm, which is in the mannerof a crank circular motionconverted into ya reciprocating rectilinear motion, so thatthe film is graduallystarted and gradually brought to rest at the termination o each movement.

In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10 the film-moving arm is made of a curvedspring havinga crank-pin box secured at the lower end and a link vpivotal fastening near the center of length portion, while the top end is fashioned into'a cross whose arms terminate in enlarged ends into which are secured six teeth 41, lin th'is instance three on each side, which are IOO adapted 'to engage in the holes i2 at the sides of the film (Illustrated in Fig. 3.)

it is obvious that a film-moving arm such as shown and described would he substantial enough to withstand the quick movements it is intended to malte and at the same time be sufficiently elastic to contact a guidesurface at the upper end portion without injuring or without causing undue friction, noise, or vibration of the adjacent parts.

Nothing new is involved in the substitution of an eccentric for the crank-pin 3S for imparting a circular movement to the lower end of arm 30.

The means employed for carrying, deliver'- ing, and winding up the film on a reel when the machine is operated in either direction is illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, and 8, in which 73 is a toothed wheel attached at one end of shaft 7d, while a chain-wheel 75 is attached at the opposite end, the shaft being mounted to revolve in bosses attached to the top portion of the front frame 30. In bosses in the middle portion of frame 30 is mounted to revolve a shaft 70, having a toothed wheel 77 secured at one end and a chain-wheel 7S scoured at the other.

At and 80 are two rollers, which hear,

and freely" roll upon toothed wheel 73, the two rollers being mounted in a frame Si, which is pivotally mounted in a second frame S2, which latter is pivotally mounted to a pin S2', projecting` from the side of front frame 30. A spring S23, bearing against frame S2, holds the rollers yieldinglyagainst the toothed wheel 73. A similar set of rollers Se and and mounted in frame and with a spring to produce a yielding pressure of the roller against toothed wheel 77, as above described, is shown in Fig. 1.

At S6 is a flanged guide-roller mounted to revolve on projecting pin near toothed wheel 73, and another flanged guide-roller 87 is similarly mounted to revolve on a pin near toothed wheel 77.

At the front top portion of the machine is mounted in bosses a shaft S9, which has a film-reel 90 mounted at one end and a chainwheel 91 at the opposite end, and at the lower front part of the machine is mounted in bosses a shaft 92, having' a filmreel 03 mounted thereon at one end and a chain-wheel 0i at the other end.

ln Figs. 7 and S the film-reels are shown to comprise a spool 05, having a length greater than the width of the picture-film and provided in this instance with an axial square hole 9G to receive the square end portions of shafts 89 and There are wide flanges 97 and 98 secured tothe ends of spool 95 to protect the edges of film 43, Fig. 3. Loosely mounted on spool 05 is a band 90, which is held from freely revolving by the frictional contact of a spring 100, which is disposed in a groove in the side of the spool. Chainwheels 91 and 04, Fig. 2, are each connected to revolve in but one direction with their respective shafts S9 and 92 by means of aclutch, which in this instance consists of a ratchetwheel 101, firmly secured on shaft S0, and ratchet-wheel 102, firmly secured on shaft 02. Chain-wheel 91 is provided with aratchetrpawl 103 and when revolving in the direction indi cated by arrow 101- on the reel, Fig. 2, will not engage ratchet-wheel 101, but will be engaged therewith if revolved in the opposite direction.

The above-named condition is reversed in respect to chain-wheel 9st, Whose pawl 105 engages the teeth of ratchet-wheel102 when revolved in the direction indicated by arrow 106 on lower reel, so that this reel is compelled to revolve with shaft 92.

The clutches connecting the chain-wheels 01 and 0l with their respective shafts are arranged relatively so that when picture-film lf3 is being unwound off of one reel the same is being wound up on the opposite reel and that whenever the movement of the film through the machine is reversed the relative conditions of the means for permitting one of the reels to freely revolve by a pull on the film and the other he forced to revolve in winding up the film is also reversed.

No particular clutch mechanism is necesn sary to cause the chain-wheels to each turn its shaft in but one direction, as many welllnown forms of both friction and ratchet clutches are perfectly adapted to the purpose. Neither is it necessary to arrange the clutches to connect the reel-shafts with the chainwheels, so that each shaft revolves in an opposite direction to the other or in the same direction; but itis necessary hat the picture film be wound onto one reel while it is being unwound from the opposite reel whether the reels revolve in the same or in dilferent directions.

The means for revolving the reels in unison with the other revolving parts of the machine is shown in Fig. 2 and consists of an endless chain 107, which first engages with Vthe teeth of a chain-wheel 10S, attached to drivingshaft rFhence the chain engages succesn sively with chain-wheels 75, 91, 0st, and 7S, which are all of the same size and number of teeth.

in practice the spools in each of the reels should be of a diameter not less than that of the toothed wheels 7S and Q7. in this instance the strip picture-film is shown as having the main` portion thereof wound on upper reel 00. Thence it passes from the lower side of the-reel over guide-roller S6. Thence the film passes between rollers 79 and S0 and wheel 73, with whose teeth the holes in the hlm are engaged. Thence the film passes upwardly and over in a curve and downwardly between the front of the rea-r frameplate 31 and the film-door 4G, thence down- Wardly and around under the crank-shaft boss and between lower rollers Si and S5 and the toothed wheel 77, whose teeth are engaged with the side holes in the film, thence ICO llO

over lower guideroller 87 and then the end attached to the spool in lower reel 93.

rlhe drawings show the mechanism for delivering, intermittently moving, and winding 'up the photographic filmin either direction; but the projecting and photographic lenses are not shown, for it is obvious these parts may be easily attached in the center line of the picture-window in the proper position, as is common in other machines of the same kind.

In operation if the hand-crank 33 is turned in the direction indicated by arrow 1,09 the large cog-wheel 34 at the rear end of drivingshaft 32, Fig. 2, will revolve in the direction indicated by arrow 110 and cause the shaft 36 to revolve in the direction indicated by arrow 111, and thereby reciprocate the arm 39 in the manner already described. If a photographic film, as 43, is in proper position under the film-door 46,' Fig. 1, the teeth 41 of arm 39 will engage in the marginal holes 42, Fig. 3, of the lm and intermittently draw the film downwardly to a distance equal to the stroke of the arm 39, the film remaining stationary during the time the teeth 41 are describing the outward parabolic curve from 65 around to 66, yas shown in Fig. 9, the direction of the movement in this curve being indicated by the arrow 112 in Fig. 6. During the time the lm is moving the shutters 58 and 59 pass in dierent directions in front of the picture-window 48, as hereinbefore indicated. The means for delivering the photographic film from the reels, whereby a loose loop thereof is always between the reels 90 and 93, consists of the toothed wheels 73 and 77, which being in this instance of a circumference equal to ten downward strokes of the teeth 41, and being so geared to shaft 36 that they revolve but one revolution toten strokes of the teeth, it is obvious that a loose loop between the wheels 73 and '7 7 and the teeth 41 would always be maintained. The operation of the reels whereby the photographic film is unwound off of or wound upon either of the reels 90 and 93 at the proper time, automatically, when the machine is revolved in either direction has been already described.

Iattachimportance to the fact that the filmmoving arm be resilient from the boss, where the link is pivoted, to the upper end--that is, between the pivotal center of the link and the upper free end. This construction permits the teeth to remain at practically a right angle to the face of the film during the whole of the downward stroke.

, I claim as my invention- 1. In a moving-picture machine, the combination with a film moving arm resilient throughout'its length and having an integral cross portion at its upper free end and intermediate its ends having a lug, of a link connected to said lug and toa fixed part of the machine, and a crank connection with `the lower end of said arm, as set forth.

2. In amoving-picture machine, the combination with a film-moving arm having pivotal connection intermediate its ends with the frame and resilient from its pivot to its free upper end and the latter formed T shape, the upper end of said arm beingout of vertical yline with its lower end and pivot, of a crank connected with the lower end of said arm, substantially as described. i Y

3. In a moving-picture machine, the combination with a support, of shafts journaled thereon, a friction film-spool on each shaft, a film-mover, means for operating said mover, chain-wheels mounted on the shafts of said spools to revolve in but one direction on their respective shafts, ratchet-wheels on said shafts, and'oppositely-disposed pawls on the chain-wheels engaging said ratchet-wheels and reversible with the reversal as to their operative position of the direction of move'- ment of the film.

4. In a moving-picture machine, the combination with a support, of shafts journaled thereon, a friction film-spool for each shaft, a film-mover, ymeans for operatin g the mover, chain-wheels mounted on the shafts of said spools to revolve in but one direction on their respective shafts, ratchet wheels on said shafts, oppositely-disposed pawls mounted on the chain-wheelsand means whereby said spools are automatically reversed in their movement by the .reversal of the direction of movement of the film, as set forth.

5. In a moving-picture machine, the combination,wit.h a film-support provided with friction lm-spools, of a pawl and ratchet for each spool, means for simultaneously moving the pawls in opposite directions relatively to their wheels, and a film-mover.

6. In a moving-picture machine, the combination,w',ith asupport, of two shafts j ournaled therein, each of which is provided with a friction film-spool and a ratchet, a sprocket-wheel journaled on each shaft and provided with a pawl, a sprocket-chain on the wheels, a filmrnover,and means for operating said chain and mover in either direction.

7. In a movin g-picture machine, the combination, with a support, of four shafts journaled therein, two of which are each provided with a friction film-spool and a sprocketwheel, and the other two are each provided with a sprocket-wheel and a toothed film-feeding wheel, a chain over the sprocket-wheels, a reciprocatory film-mover, and an operating-wheel for moving the chain and the filmmover.

o 8. In a moving-picture machine, the combination, with a support, of four shafts journaled therein, two of which are each provided with a friction film -spool and a sprocketwheel and the other two are each provided with a sprocket-wheel and a toothed wheel, a spring-actuated frame pivotally mounted adjacent to each toothed wheel, a roller-frame pivotally mounted in each of said frames provided with a set of rollers in position to engage with the toothed wheel, a guide-roller ad- IOO IIO

jacent to each toothed wheel, a chain over the sprocket-Wheels, a reciprooatory film-mover, and an operating-Wheel forinoving the chain and the ilm-mover- 9. Ina movingf-picture machine, the combination, with a liirsiipport provided with a picture-windovvf two shafts journaled in the support at right angles to each other, a sprocket-Wheel and a bevel-Wheel on one of the shafts and a shutter and a bevel-Wheel on the other one, an intermittent iilm-inover provided 'with a sprocket-wheel, and a sprocketchain on the sprocket-Wheels.

10. In a moving-picture machine, the conibination, with a hlm-support provided with a picturewindow, of a shaft journaled in the support provided with a bevelwvheel7 two shafts jonrnaled in the iframe adjacent to the Window, one within the other, the outer end of each of which shafts is provided with a shutter and the inner end is provided with a bevelnvheel in engagement with the bevelwheel on the iirstnnentioned shaft, an intermittent lilnrmover, and means for connecting Jthe mover with the first-mentioned shaft.

11. In a moving-picture machine, a spool composed of a body with axial opening, flange and a groove parallel with said opening, a band loosely monnted on said body, and a friction device held in said groove and bearing` against the inner face of said band for preventing free revolution of said band, as set forth.

12. ln a moving-picture machine, the combination with film-support, of shafts journaled therein7 toothed wheels on said shafts, sprocket-Wheels on said shafts, paivls and means for moving the same simultaneously in opposite directions a pivotally-monnted frame near each oi' said Wheels, pivoted supports for said frames, and rollers carried by .each of said iframes and bearing upon and freely rotating in Contact with said toothed wheels, as and for the purpose specilied.

13. The combination with a .film-support provided with a picture-Window, of two shafts one within the other andindependentlymovable, and a shutter carried by each shaft, said shutters being so constructed each of alength radially to fully cover the picture-Window that no line of the marginal edge shall be parallel with the marginal lines oit the picture- Window when said shutters are overlapped, as set forth.

14. In a moving-picture machine, the oombination with a iilnrsupport having a picture-- window, of a hollow shaft, a second shaft Working in said hollow shaft, miter cog-Wheels on said. shafts, means for engagement therewith for moving said shafts in opposite directions, and a shutter carried by each of said shafts each of a length radially to cover .the picture-Window, said shutters being provided at their side edges with notches disposed to admit and shut olt1 the light as the shutters overlap opposite the picture-opening, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

15.111 a moving-picture machine, the com-A 

